The future of Sunday School:
personal, but not always in-person

One of the things that the pandemic reminded us of was that NOTHING STAYS THE SAME (except for God). To check this statement, look in the mirror

Adapt, change, and evolve is what we do.

What we've learned so far coming out of the pandemic speaks to the future we are inheriting:

• It's going to take time for some people to fully return and engage.
• Some people probably won't be coming back (and indeed, didn't).
• Many congregations and programs were already fighting decline before COVID.
• Surveys are reporting a lot of stress and exhaustion among church staff.
• We tried a lot of new things during the pandemic, especially online things, and discovered for the most part that we weren't ready, and our members weren't willing after a point. But something tells us that being forced online was a wake up call.
• And "no church affiliation" is still the fastest growing denomination in the U.S.
  
  (I've put a couple of citations and "further reading" links for these statements and at the end of this article. )
  
  

I am hopeful. Call it providence, but the pandemic brought some of us some much-needed experimentation in Christian education:

• It has taught us "how -to" and how-not-to reach out online and at a distance.
• It has inspired at-home learning initiatives and materials, but also reminded us of the challenge of getting follow-through at home.
• It's been a year of technical learning, trial and error.
• We've learned that "new" can be exhausting, but also full of potential.
• We've been forced out of our same-old-silos and comfort zones.
• We've experienced the luxury of "doing without" things we thought were important and are finding out just how important they really were.
• And we've all been reminded of the blessing of being together AND learning together (which is something many had taken for granted).

Of course, some churches simply punted the whole time, went through the motions. I'm sad for them.

What does the future hold for Sunday School?

It's going to be wonderful to get back together, which is something many churches are doing right now in a limited way. But the need for more “online" and "at-home" outreach and learning is NOT going to go away with a vaccine. They were not temporary measures. They were the beginning of the future -- a future that doesn't sit in the church waiting for people to show up.

I've heard people say or write "people are tired of online!" -- And the funny thing is, you read those things in ONLINE articles and posts! Contrary to the complaints and wishful nostalgic thinking, we now spend more time online than ever before. In just a few short years "online" has become woven into the fabric of our daily lives. The average American now spends 152 minutes a day on social media alone, and that doesn’t include other online activities such as Netflix, school, or work. More jobs have moved online, and there's been a growth in online schooling too. These trends already existed pre-COVID, and will continue whether you like them or not.

So you tell me... was the declining participation in our online services and lessons because our members didn't want to be online? Or because our online product stunk?

Naysayers are easy to be found when something new is emerging. Remember when those disciples were blown by the Spirit into the street on the day of Pentecost to speak in new ways? (I heard the naysayers when I started teaching with software, and began experimenting with the Workshop Rotation Model, and helped launch this website.)

I have no doubt we're going to see more "online" and at-home Sunday School materials from the publishers and creative teachers. But as helpful as these materials will be, they are not the revolution. The real revolution is personally REACHING OUT to our students and families via various online methods: connecting, pastoring, encouraging, and yes, teaching.

In other words:  our efforts will be personal, but not always in-person.

In my Sunday School software seminars and books, I used to say it like this:

You don't replace teachers with software, they become your guides by the side.

"Personal" is harder and more time-consuming, but it's also often more rewarding and effective.

This revolution won't replace in-person learning

This revolution won't replace in-person learning, worship, or fellowship, but it will supplement it AND encourage it, and give us new ways to reach more kids and families, rather than waiting around for them to walk through our door.

The inclusion of more "at-home" also holds the promise of something we've long sought: bringing parents back into the teaching equation.

These changes are in keeping with something we have been saying in the church forever and 2020 has reminded us in a dramatic way: the church is not a building.

Lots more to say! Your thoughts welcome.

<>< Neil

More for leaders...

One of my favorite "church futurists" is Pastor Cary Nieuwhof. Not only is he leading a congregation, he is talking about the things churches need to be talking about.  I would encourage you to read his blog. Nearly every one of his posts is challenging and full of facts, such as some of the things I just quoted above and continue with below.

Read:
"7 Weird Lies About Online Church that Pastors Need to Stop Believing"

Here are some conclusions from "7 Weird Lies About Online Church"

• If you think people are "screened out," run your theory by TikTok or Instagram. Apparently, people aren’t nearly as done with screens as you think.
  
  (I would add Netflix and Facebook to the number of "screens" in our lives. )
  
  
• If you think people "don’t like technology," and "church online is just a bridge to get us to reopening," then you're engaged in wishful thinking. "Almost all of the people you want to reach and connect with are online. It’s time for the church to embrace that."
  
  
• He concludes:
  
  In the midst of an unprecedented amount of change, it’s natural to cling to the familiar. It’s also a terrible leadership strategy.

Citations and Further Reading:

• Various Barna Research on church trends and attendance related to COVID.
  Here and here
• Barna Research into time spent online, "digital stress" and related.
• 5 Trends Shaping Next Gen Ministry
• 5 Types of Church Members Who Will Not Return
• Pew Research into Church Attendance during COVID and expectations
• Pastoring in a Digital Age
• Best and Worst Digital Practices
• The Church has Left the Building: 5 Truths about the Future
• 4 Reasons Your Church Will Lose Volunteers after the Pandemic

Neil MacQueen is a Presbyterian minister specializing in creative approaches to Christian education. He helped create the Rotation Model and Rotation.org.